'You want me to intentionally break a client's computer?': Entitled sales associate tries to push coworker into fooling customer

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Mar 16, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

This person is having difficulties dealing with both their coworker and their company's policies. 

When you work at a company, you quickly realize that you're seeing how the sausage gets made. It doesn't matter what type of industry: you'll quickly learn the behind-the-scenes secrets of your job, for better and for worse. If you start working in fast food, you'll learn how the sandwiches are made from start to finish. If you work at a call center, you'll discover all the behind-the-scenes scripts that reps follow. And if you're this person, you might discover some shady practices at a big retail chain, all spearheaded by a shifty sales floor associate. 

The unfortunate thing about discovering how the sausage is made at a company is that you don't have much say in how to handle the business practices. You either have to quit and find a new (better!) work environment, or stick with the company and abide by their shady rules. You can check out how this person handled their coworker's unethical practices in the excellent story they shared below. 

Up next, read about some employees who quit their toxic jobs on the spot, which surprised their bosses: "I really needed that job... but I didn't need to be treated that way."

Advertisement
  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10480241664
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02
    You want me to intentionally break a client's new computer? As you'll probably be able to tell, this one happened a while ago. Fair warning, this is pretty long. I used to work for a mass merchant retail chain, and my job was repairing/servicing/setting up devices our clients decided they didn't want to deal with themselves. I'm trudging along, when one of the sales floor associates (let's call him "worthless", or wl) comes back to me.
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 03
    Wl: I have a computer for you to set up Me: ok, take it up front and have them fill out the paperwork Wl: that'll take too long (it won't, he was just an impatient idiot) Me: I need that paperwork, or I can't start working. I also need it so if there's anything I have questions about I can contact the client, so they need to verify the information is correct. Wl: I already have all the info (he didn't) Me: good, then go up front and have them make the proper paperwork, I can start it as soon as
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 04
    Worthless leaves in a huff that I "won't just take it", but I think that was the end of that since he didn't try to fight it anymore and walked back up front. But alas, that's never the case. Instead of just taking the four minutes to do his job the way he's supposed to, he thinks his time is better spent telling the manager (whom we'll call "useless", or ul) that I had the audacity to not immediately start on his unsigned nonsense instead of following procedure (there's a reason we get our clie
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 05
    Ul: what's the problem here? Me: I don't have a problem, I just need him to get the paperwork filled so I can start Ul: well, the customer's already gone, so just get it started Me: that's bad customer service, what if I need to ask a question or have an issue? Have we verified the information? Ul: I think I know how to train someone how to write down ten numbers
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 06
    I'm visibly annoyed, but I take a look at the receipt to make sure everything is at least paid for. Now, what I did not realize until I actually looked at the sales floor notes, was that they want us to remove the copy of Windows 8 that came on the new computer (at the time, 8.1) and install Windows XP. This is a terrible idea, and I have to make this known. Me: are we seriously going replace her copy of Windows 8 with Windows XP? That is a terrible idea, it's not going to work, why would she do
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 07
    He leaves my area and I look at the contact info, since I need to explain to this lady exactly why this should not happen. Lo and behold, the phone number written down is the stores, NOT the clients, so I can't even call. I know this will end badly, but I figure screw it, and start unpacking. Since I'm neither a moron nor as lazy as the other two in the story so far, I take the extra time to create recovery media for this old lady whom by now I'm convinced does not actually know what's going on.
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 08
    driver. Some are plug-and-play, and will work just by connecting, like a keyboard. Others, like graphics cards, you'll need to install software. Nothing. On. This. Machine. Had. Working. Drivers. I go online to double check, and not a single piece of hardware that comes on this computer will work with XP, the earliest. some hardware would work with was 7. At this point, I've done my due diligence and wait for this lady to call. I don't bother packing up anything because I've been at this long en
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 09
    NI: hello, I was just wondering if my computer was done, I haven't heard back yet. Me: hi, sorry about that, but they never actually got your phone number so I couldn't call. I did finish what you requested but I very much need to speak to you about it. NI: is something wrong? Me: well, the version of windows you wanted us to install is not really supported anymore, and none of the drivers for your computer will work with it NI: what does that mean?
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 10
    Me: in simpler terms, the video card can't properly display all resolutions in its range, the DVD burner won't recognize DVD's, the network cards can't connect to any networks, the full capacity of the hard drive can't be seen, and only 3 ½ gigs of your 8 gigs of ram can be seen. Also, all the other peripherals, such as the card reader, can't be recognized NI: *few seconds of silence* so what good is it then? Me: it's not, this was a terrible idea and had he actually brought you up here to speak
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 11
    what did you need XP installed for? NI: to install my Hoyle card games Now, I can't attest to this, but according to my coworkers an audible snapping sound could be heard from inside my skull cavity. After a few moments of heavy breathing and resisting the urge to beat worthless to death using useless as the bat, I compose myself and resume speaking. Me: ma'am, I had the foresight to create recovery media. Go ahead and come in with your game and when you get here I will install it for you. For t
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 12
    to install, or just grab you some from the windows store for you. NI: what about my copy of windows they had me buy? Me: normally we don't returned opened software, but if they give you grief at the customer service desk over it I'm going. to be authorizing it on the paperwork I'll be making for you I collected her correct information, made the proper paperwork, left my plethora of notes detailing all the lovely time that got wasted due to procedure not being followed, undid that nightmare and g
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 13
    already gotten back to the store, caught our GM, and gave him an earful over all the time and money she had wasted because of worthless. When she got back to us, I had her sign the papers (the way it should have been in the beginning), and managed to have the game installed before they had even finished the return transaction for the windows she didn't need. (it was most definitely not designed for Windows 8, but it managed to run anyways, still no idea why they told her she needed it without ch
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 14
    she was happy. I explained to the GM the whole fiasco (not getting contact info, being told to install a software that will basically render her purchase useless, refusing to get a signature so we could have had a real issue had it gone to corporate, etc.) along with copies of all paperwork and notes. He took useless and worthless to the room next to my work area, and through our almost non-existent walls I got to enjoy hearing the GM tear both of them a new one about doing things correctly and
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 15
    whole department to do the exact wrong thing, we've just been pulling up the slack for them). It took a while, but things got better, mostly after useless was fired for an unrelated incident and worthless quite because "F this place" only to not be able to hold onto any of his other jobs that wouldn't put up with his cr p. Moral of the story: yes, it takes time and may seem stupid, but procedures are there for a reason. Just follow them and if they fail at least it won't be your fault.
    via u/Stabbmaster
  • 16
    404 the page you were looking for doesn't seem to exist anymore Back to Unsplash MacBook Pro
    via Erik Mclean on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 17
    exOtrix Procedures typically occur because someone screwed up previously and they are addressing the problem. 343 Reply Share Stabbmaster OP Very true. Hard to count how many times I had to add to my processes because "X amount of time ago someone Y'ed".
    via u/exOtrix
  • 18

    If the client's happy, that's all that matters

    hotlavatube Reminds me of the time I was forced to install a 32-bit Windows 2003 server on a 64- bit machine. They needed to run a very particular scientific software suite that only ran on Windows 2003 server and they didn't have a 64-bit version of the OS. The computer... was not happy, but it ran. Half the USB ports didn't work anymore, and lord knows what else needed those extra bits, but the client was happy, so oh well.
    via u/hotlavatube
  • 19
    InterestedDawg Fantastic and well worth the - read despite the Reddit XL tag! Great job OP, this is a subject close to my heart as I was always the one that had to explain that procedures were in place for a good reason. 12 Reply Share Stabbmaster OP Thank you. It's nice to know there are still people who understand why a process exists.
    via u/InterestedDawg

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

customer service workplace-stories jobs job malicious compliance work coworkers customers malicious-compliance-reddit customer workplace malicious compliance reddit
Scroll Down For The Next Article